New-York tribune., 1887-12-11
MEN AT THE CAPITAL.
ANECDOTES AND "REMINISCENCES.

CuR1So sECEssrONIsTs Mr. LAwLEE5 GRlEF-Jof
IN THE WEST.
WASHINGTON Dec. 10. -One Of the oluest men and
best story tcers among the new reel us III the House Is
William L. Mason. OF Chicago lie was porn III O''''
raugus County ~ Ya region where IL Is sara py iar
In the more fertile country of the Genesee: Inc sou -
o thin that the hard pan up to tho third rail- OF
the fences" Perhaps that was one reason why mason
vas cariel West BY his parents in 1888 when he was
only csbt years old. TO ny with tho country Az
sixteen he scnooi teacher III low" nn" Ioio"et
that occupation for four years lie does not III the o'S
resemble De elagogue and fancy that his pupils must
bovo enioyed themselves. When / was Introduced to
Mr. Mason he said: " am glad TO see you corre
snonl.ut ~ TIE TRIBI-NE, ch Well when was a boy
ont In Iowa during tho everybody in that county
,nb.cribel Cor AMI real THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE whether
lie wanted tO or not.
How WAS that !"
awhr. Won see. Van Buren, County, Iowa, was very
loyal while scotland County Iissouri. which ndjons IT,
was fnu Of 'sccesh' They made some trouble. an d
finally Colonel Moor, down there 10 keep thcn
auiet lie was pretty rifd ani he concluded thai a
good WAY TO make u -ecessonlst loya was to compel
him 20 take the ont OF allegiance ana real TIE TRIBUNE
70 ..nlar,v So he gave orders to have the Srcrsh
brougbt before him take tho OATH which he admins
tore1 so,ue,yhat in This fashion: You 10 solcmnly
swear that Won will support AMI defend the Consiitr-
ton OF the Unitcl states. that yon Will bear true fath
AMI ALLEGIANCE 20 the Government that You Will defend
II AGAINST all enemies foreign AMI domestic And you do
further .ocmuly that you will Subscribe pas for
and read TIE Nry- YORK WEEKLY TRIBUNE This was
a hitter dose TO swallow and the culprit oft would
proiost that thai was pretty harl' Colonel Moor"
would sternv say: swear H. or will have yon taken
ont md shot OF course that settled II, and tie
Sccesn would Inceky repeat the words.
"Idid hear Of one though. Lat seemed pretty
hard" continued Mr.. Mason rrneciiyely.
What were the ciicumst anres
we'll n yas rl q Colonel Moore morn
ing that squal Of hi. hal shot and kllri citizen
vino had taken the OATH ana who. AZ the time wS III
ting in hi, porch with cops "i IIE lIhi ~ IL Il"
hands Tie Colonel furiouS AMI sent Tor the
sergeant I'm command OF the uld. II yon have any
thing TO say in cytcuuaiiou of your offence he ore
order Won before .riimhc1d court martial say ~ now,
demand the wrathv Colonel
Wcn' replied the sergeant boldly. all have 70 say
Is this tha the old Erb dl have copy "f IH IhH ~
ia hi, hlnI AMI that lie pretended &" he r"ln< A. ini
he WIS holding the paper upside down. hhl hHr" ne
WIS not Observing his oath or ohrving Nour orders
"' Az. | -cc.' replied the Colonel Frrl'Y lnollh'd
hut wnuli not hr quite - severe next ililr u Won
catch 1uotHcr dons that Just arrest NM and hrns
h,m before M. Nou can - Il N"hf quarters
- Won there va. prof. good reason "hN
should sIy Ihlt 1ue rErW ~ llla COOL mtnF "nWh-
ling rs rll ns willing subscribers IN tiat part oi the
country during the war" added Mason